Netanyahu's bloc leads the election results, but political deadlock remains

ISRAEL - In Brief 29 Oct 2026 by Sani Ziv

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Election results According to the latest vote count in Israel's 2026 elections, Netanyahu's bloc holds 53 seats compared with 48 for the Zionist opposition led by Gadi Eisenkot and 19 for the Arab parties. The results are not yet final, as the double-envelope ballots, mainly from soldiers and other special voting groups, have not yet been counted. In the past, these votes tended to favor Zionist right-wing parties over Arab and ultra-Orthodox parties, although their overall impact was generally limited to one or two seats. The number of double-envelope ballots is unusually high this year, making their impact potentially more significant The election results were surprising compared with most of the polls published before the elections as well as the television exit polls on election night. Another significant development is the sharp increase in Arab representation, from 10 seats in the 2022 elections to a projected 19 seats. The results give Netanyahu's bloc an advantage over the Zionist opposition, but not the 61 seats needed for a majority in the Knesset. Political scenarios The election results leave three main political scenarios: The first is a minority government led by Eisenkot, with external support from the Arab parties. A minority government does not need 61 seats to win a parliamentary confidence vote. It only needs more votes in favor than against. However, with Eisenkot's bloc holding 48 seats compared with Netanyahu's 53, abstention by the Arab parties, or their decision to leave the chamber, would not be enough and Eisenkot would need at least six Arab members of parliament to vote actively in favor. This makes the scenario politically difficult, partic...